Apparatus for viewing an operating panel of an electronic device
Some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for viewing the operating panel of an electronic device, such as a printer, scanner, copy machine, facsimile machine, multi-function device and the like, wherein the apparatus is adapted to allow a person to view the operating panel from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel. The apparatus can reflect and/or refract an image of the operating panel to place it within the line of sight of the person, and can use one or more mirrors and/or prisms to perform this function.
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Some printers and other computer equipment have operating panels that are positioned on an upper surface of the equipment, are positioned in an upward facing direction, or are otherwise not visible or easily viewed from an elevation beside or lower than the equipment. When this type of equipment is placed on an elevated surface, some users of the equipment may not have an appropriate line of sight to view the operating panel. Accordingly, such users can have a difficult time using the equipment due to the inability to view the operating panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an apparatus for viewing the operating panel of an electronic device, such as a printer, scanner, copy machine, facsimile machine, multi-function device, and the like. The apparatus is adapted to allow a person to view the operating panel from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel. Specifically, the apparatus reflects and/or refracts an image of the operating panel to place it within the line of sight of the person. The apparatus can use one or more mirrors, prisms, and the like to reflect and/or refract the image of the operating panel.
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a viewing apparatus for use with an electronic device having an operating panel, wherein the viewing apparatus is adapted to allow a person to view the operating panel from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel, and wherein the viewing apparatus comprises an adjustable neck having a first end coupled to the device and a second end movable with respect to the first end, the neck having at least one joint permitting movement of the first end of the neck to different positions with respect to the second end of the neck; and a mirror coupled to the second end of the adjustable neck, the mirror positionable to place an image of the operating panel within different lines of sight of the person.
In some embodiments, an apparatus for viewing an operating panel of an electronic device is provided, wherein the electronic device has a wall and is supported in an elevated position by a support, and wherein the apparatus comprises a base adapted to be coupled to at least one of the wall of the electronic device and the support; an elongated neck extending from the base, the elongated neck comprising a first end coupled to the base; and a second end; and a head coupled to the second end of the elongated neck and adjustable to different positions with respect to the electronic device, the head comprising at least one of a mirror and a prism movable to different positions by adjustment of the head; wherein the head is positionable to at least one position in which a line of sight external to the elongated neck extends from a user's location at a lower elevation than the head to the operating panel of the electronic device via the at least one of the mirror and the prism.
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a viewing apparatus for use with an electronic device having an operating panel, wherein the viewing apparatus is adapted to allow a person to view the operating panel from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel, and wherein the viewing apparatus comprises a neck having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the neck is connectable to the electronic device; and a viewing assembly coupled to the second end of the neck.
Further aspects of the present invention, together with the organization and operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts:
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limited. The use herein of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “mounted,” “connected,” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting and coupling. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings and can include electrical connections or couplings, whether direct or indirect. Finally, as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specific mechanical configurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, other alternative mechanical configurations are possible, and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
An apparatus 10 for viewing the operating panel 12 of an electronic device 14 is shown in
The viewing apparatus 10 illustrated in
The base 16 of the viewing apparatus 10 can connect the viewing apparatus 10 to a support surface S. The support surface S can be a surface of an element or structure supporting the electronic device, such as a table, rack, stand, frame, or other structure (hereinafter referred to as a “support” 17). For example, the base 16 illustrated in
The base 16 of the viewing apparatus 10 can be connected to the support surface S in any of a number of different ways. For example, the base 16 can be attached to the support surface S by one or more screws, nuts and bolts, pins, rivets, or other conventional fasteners, joints, adhesive or cohesive bonding material, inter-engaging elements on the base 16 and support surface S, clamps, clips, threaded or snap-fit connections, one or more magnets (for connection to one or more magnets on the support surface S and/or one or more surfaces of steel, iron, or other material to which magnets are attracted), and the like. In some embodiments, the base 16 can be weighted to allow the base 16 to rest on a support surface S without further elements or structure securing the base 16 thereto. Accordingly, the base 16 in some embodiments can be coupled to the support surface S by gravity and frictional forces. The specific type of attachment mechanism utilized to connect the base 16 to the support surface S may be dependent upon the type and characteristics of the support surface S (e.g., metal, wood, plastic, or other support surface materials, vertical or horizontal support surfaces, and the like).
The base 16 illustrated in
With continued reference to
In some embodiments, the neck 18 is adjustable in order to permit movement of the viewing assembly 20 with respect to the base 16. For this purpose, the neck 18 illustrated in
As shown in
The viewing assembly 20 can include one or more reflective or refractive viewing elements, such as mirrors, prisms, or lenses. Such elements can be directly coupled to the neck 18 in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the base 16 and the support surface S. As described in greater detail below, the reflective or refractive viewing elements can instead be secured to a frame, in which case the frame can be coupled to the neck 18 in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the base 16 and the support surface S.
With reference to the embodiment of
If employed, the frame 30, 130, 230 can have any shape and size suitable for supporting the mirror(s) 28, 129, prism(s) 231, and lens(es). The frame 30, 130, 230 can include a variety of structure members, such as plates, wires, arms, rods, and the like. For example, the frames 30, 130 illustrated in
With reference again to the embodiment illustrated in
The mirror(s) 28, 129, prism(s) 231, and/or lens(es) can be fixed against movement relative to the frame 30, 130, 230. However, in other embodiments, one or more of these elements can be movable with respect to the frame 30, 130, 230, thereby changing the manner in which the viewing assembly reflects and/or refracts images.
During operation of the viewing apparatus 10 illustrated in
As shown in
The embodiments described above and illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, various alternatives to the certain features and elements of the present invention are described with reference to specific embodiments of the present invention. With the exception of features, elements, and manners of operation that are mutually exclusive of or are inconsistent with each embodiment described above, it should be noted that the alternative features, elements, and manners of operation described with reference to one particular embodiment are applicable to the other embodiments.
Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A viewing apparatus for use with an electronic device having an operating panel, the viewing apparatus adapted to allow a person to view the operating panel from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel, the viewing apparatus comprising:
- an adjustable neck having a first end coupled to the device and a second end movable with respect to the first end, the neck having at least one joint permitting movement of the first end of the neck to different positions with respect to the second end of the neck; and
- a mirror coupled to the second end of the adjustable neck, the mirror having a concave reflecting surface and being positionable to both reflect an image of an operating panel located generally below the mirror into another portion of the mirror and to re-reflect the reflected image towards a line of sight extending from an elevation lower than the elevation of the operating panel.
2. The viewing apparatus of claim 1, the viewing device further comprising a frame to which the mirror is coupled.
3. The viewing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the mirror is pivotally coupled to the frame.
4. The viewing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the frame is pivotally coupled to the adjustable neck.
5. The viewing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end of the adjustable neck is coupled to the electronic device via a support supporting the electronic device.
6. The viewing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mirror is positioned at a higher elevation than the first end of the adjustable neck to position an image of the operating panel within the line of sight of the person.
7. An apparatus for viewing an operating panel of an electronic device, the electronic device having a wall and supported in an elevated position by a support, the apparatus comprising:
- a base adapted to be coupled to at least one of the wall of the electronic device and the support;
- an elongated neck extending from the base, the elongated neck comprising a first end coupled to the base; and a second end; and
- a head coupled to the second end of the elongated neck and adjustable to different positions with respect to the electronic device, the head comprising a prism movable to different positions by adjustment of the head,
- wherein the head is positionable to at least one position in which a line of sight external to the elongated neck extends from a user's location at a lower elevation than the head to the operating panel of the electronic device via the prism.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the head comprises:
- a frame; and
- a prism coupled to the frame and positionable so that an image of the operating panel is refracted towards a line of sight extending from an elevation lower than the elevation of the operating panel.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the prism is pivotally coupled to the frame.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the frame is pivotally coupled to the elongated neck.
11. A method for enabling a user to view a generally upward facing operating panel of an electronic device from a line of sight that extends from an elevation lower than an elevation of the operating panel, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus having a neck with first and second ends, wherein the first end of the neck is connectable to an electronic device with an operating panel, and a viewing assembly coupled to the second end of the neck;
- positioning the viewing assembly with respect to the electronic device such that said viewing assembly is positioned at a higher elevation than the elevation of the operating panel to redirect an image of the operating panel along a line of sight to a user located at a lower elevation than the elevation of the operating panel.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the viewing assembly comprises at least one of a mirror and a prism coupled to the second end of the neck and movable to different positions with respect to the operating panel of the electronic device by moving the neck, and wherein the line of sight is adjustable by moving the at least one of a mirror and a prism to different positions with respect to the operating panel of the electronic device.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the neck is flexible; and positioning the viewing assembly further comprises flexing the neck.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the viewing assembly further comprises a frame coupled to the at least one of a mirror and a prism.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one of a mirror and a prism are pivotally coupled to the frame, and wherein positioning the viewing assembly further comprises pivoting the at least one of a mirror and a prism with respect to the frame.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first end of the neck is connectable to the electronic device via a support supporting the electronic device.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the apparatus includes a joint allowing relative movement between the support and the first end of the neck, and wherein positioning the viewing assembly further comprises operating the joint.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the apparatus includes a joint allowing relative movement between the second end of the neck and the viewing assembly, and wherein positioning the viewing assembly further comprises operating the joint.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the neck further comprises:
- a first portion; and
- a second portion coupled to the first portion by a joint such that the first portion is movable with respect to the second portion about the joint.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein the viewing assembly comprises at least one mirror with a substantially planar reflective surface.
21. The method of claim 12, wherein the viewing assembly comprises a mirror including a concave reflecting surface.
22. The method of claim 12, wherein the viewing assembly comprises a prism.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 14, 2005
Date of Patent: Nov 27, 2007
Patent Publication Number: 20060158759
Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc. (Lexington, KY)
Inventors: Clyde D. Jasmin (Lexington, KY), Ronald C. Knapp (Lexington, KY)
Primary Examiner: Scott J. Sugarman
Assistant Examiner: DaWayne A Pinkney
Attorney: Thompson Hine
Application Number: 11/036,090
International Classification: G02B 7/182 (20060101);